1998 Chevrolet Venture engine and engine cooling problems

“I BACKED THE VAN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT HOME AND PLACED THE CAR INTO DRIVE. AS I STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD, THE GAS PEDAL FELT HARDER THAN NORMAL BUT I ATTRIBUTED THAT TO BEING LEFT OUTSIDE ALL WINTER. I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL HARDER TO GET TO CAR TO MOVE FORWARD. AND IMMEDIATELY I FELT THE PEDAL UNSTICK . AT THAT SAME MOMENT, THE ENGINE RACED TO FULL THROTTLE AND RACED FORWARD WITH THE VAN CONTINUALLY GOING FASTER AND FASTER RACING INSTANTLY TO 50 MILES AN HOUR AND STILL ACCELERATING. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT STOP THE VAN OR STOP THE ACCELERATION. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND FINALLY BRAKED THE VAN TO A STOP. THIS ALL HAPPENED ON THE SIDE STREET OF MY SUBDIVISION BEFORE I COULD GET ONTO THE MAIN ROAD. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS OR PEOPLE IN MY WAY AND I WAS ABLE TO GET CONTROL OF THE VAN WITHOUT HURTING MYSELF OR OTHERS, THE VAN WAS BROUGHT BACK TO MY DRIVEWAY WHERE IT REMAINS. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AT THIS POINT AS I DO NOT WANT TO PAY TO HAVE THIS 12 YEAR OLD VAN REPAIRED AT MY COST NOR DO I EVER WANT TO DRIVE THIS VAN AGAIN. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC OR ON AN INCLINE, THE HEAT TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATES. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO LOSING ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN ADDING ONE HALF GALLON OF ANTIFREEZE PER MONTH AND DOES NOT KNOW WHY. WHEN THE WEATHER BECOMES WARMER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES SPORADICALLY. THE LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE IN THE WINTER. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVY VENTURE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHEN APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE AUSE OF THE PROBLEM , AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A BAR INSIDE THE ENGINE THAT BROKE, AND THEREWAS ALSO CORROSION IN THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 14, 4000 MILES. *AK”

“VENTURE WAS MAKING A SMELL THAT I REMEMBERED FROM MY 95 CHEVY LUMINA. PULL OVER REALIZED THE SAME THING WAS GOING ON WITH THIS VAN. COOLANT GOING INTO ENGINE. THIS VAN ONLY HAD 51,652 MILES ON FOR A 98 THAT IS GREAT I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT AND CHEVY LOST A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE. WE WERE LOOKING A TAHOE BUT I WOULD EVEN LOOK AT IT NOW CHEVY IS THE WORST CAR MAKER OUT THERE BUT THEN AGAIN THEY ARE MAKING ME NOW LOOK A TOYOTA,HONDA IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. *NM”

“THE INTAKE GASKET ON MY 98 VENTURE FAILED AND LEAKED DEXCOOL INTO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE TEMP FLUCTUATED AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DAMAGING THE HEAD GASKET. I SEE GM IS IGNORING THE ISSUE AS WELL AS NHTSA. THERE IS HOWEVER A LAW FIRM IN PUTTING TOGETHER A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ENCOURAGE ALL TO JOIN IN THE SUIT AND TO LEAVE GM AND BECOME LOYAL HONDA OWNERS. *JB”

“FOR THE 2ND TIME SINCE THE DATE NOTED BELOW, I AM EXPERIENCING INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE ON MY 1998 CHEVY VENTURE. IN 2003 IT WAS REPLACED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT 34,000 MILES. NOW, JUST SHY OF 2 YEARS LATER, AND AT 53,000 (AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND A COST OF $1200.00)) IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE REASON I AM CONTACTING YOU AT THIS TIME IS THAT GM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A RECALLABLE ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. I SPOKE WITH GLEN KUNIYUKI ON 12/7/05, AND SYLVIA JABOUIN ON 12/8/05, AT GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY SAID THAT SINCE THIS WAS NOT A RECALLABLE ISSUE AND UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE NHTSA MADE THEM RECALL THE VEHICLES INVOLVED, THAT THEY SIMPLY WERE NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO GM MODELS, AND RECOMMENDED TRADING IT IN FOR A NEWER MODEL. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND SEVERAL WEBSITES WHERE MANY OTHER GM CUSTOMERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME REPETITIVE PROBLEM WITH NO SATISFACTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. I AM PROVIDING YOU WITH ONLY FOUR, BUT THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE. (HTTP://FORUM.FREEADVICE.COM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-194703.HTML HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/GM_INTAKE_MANIFOLD.HTML…”